1. Getting Started with a Cup
As with all things in a child’s life, the transition to a cup can vary widely from
easy and smooth to drawn out and difficult. Some children take quickly and
easily to a cup while others are resistant. It may require some patience and
persistence if your child doesn’t seem all that interested in using a cup. There
are some things you can do to help ease the transition and also to assist a
child who just doesn’t seem to get it.
Choose the Right Cup
Just because your older child or your best friend’s child did well on one
particular cup doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for every child. It might take a
little trial and error to find the perfect cup for your little one. If your first choice
isn’t going over well, try a cup with a different type of spout. With many
different shapes, styles and levels of softness available, there is a perfect cup
for every child.
Choose Your Timing
The cup isn’t always to blame if your child is resistant to taking a cup. Although
children as young as 6 months old can successfully drink from a sippy cup, not
every child will be ready that young. If your child doesn’t show any interest, it
2. might be best to put it off for a while and try again later. Many children don’t
change over to using a sippy cup until a year old or even much later.
Fill It With Something Familiar
Especially if you are offering a sippy cup at a young age, it’s best to fill it with
the liquid your baby is most used to. Either pumped breast milk or formula can
be served in a cup, and a familiar taste will make your child more likely to want
to get at what’s in the cup. Some parents use juice as a bribe to encourage use
of the cup; however, this can lead to your baby expecting to get juice every
time the cup is offered, and you may have difficulty serving anything other than
juice in a cup. Serving breast milk or formula in the cup will help to ease the
later transition to cow’s milk as well.
Offer It Like a Bottle
The first time you offer your child a sippy cup, try sitting down the same
position you would use to feed a bottle. Unless your child is accustomed to
picking up a bottle in a seated position and drinking from it, this will only cause
confusion. Once the cup has been introduced and established as the new
vessel for liquids, you can offer it at the table. Keep it at the table from that time
on to discourage wandering around the house with a cup.
3. At first, you might want to keep a bottle handy as well, as your child might
refuse the cup or take only a small amount before rejecting it. You will need to
finish the feeding with the bottle, or by breastfeeding.
As with all transitions, be prepared for it to take some time. Eventually, the cup
will replace the bottle, but in the meantime, it’s best to allow your child to keep
the bottle for certain feedings, especially soothing times such as before bed.
Continue to offer the cup first and finish the feeding in another manner if
necessary. Soon your child will be taking all liquids from a cup, and the bottle
will be a thing of the past!
article resource: babyfoodchart.com/feeding/getting-started-with-a-cup/
